food quote 3

queen mother cafe

Queen Mother Cafe has been one of my favourite places to eat in toronto. it is definitely an unusual place. despite its name, this place offers selection of asian fusion dishes (mainly laotian, vietnamese and thai). i often come for dinner or drinks. the crowded seating area can fill up quickly and the noise level can get quite loud. but i love the low-key but lively ambiance. one thing i really like about the interior is the display of artworks on the walls which change from time to time, supporting local artists. awesome!

the menu is very creative and inventive (i've only gotten a picture of the appetizer which may not seem all that interesting but you should take a look at their dinner menu). many dishes have various ethnic twists to them. the house specials are always interesting, sometimes provocative. bonus point for being über original. the wine list may seem short but they do have excellent choices. the cocktail and martini list is extensive. i suggest the blueberry tea, the good kind (with grand marnier and amaretto) on a cold winter evening.

first up is the Crispy Calamari ($9.50). the calamari is chewy and soft. it melts in your mouth. the deep fried seasoned flour coat is marinated with ginger, garlic and chillies. crispy on the outside and soft inside. perfect! i like it with or without the sweet chili sauce.

the Quinoa Salad ($10.95) is, in our opinion, the best in town. it's nothing special, just some baby greens, garlic, lemon, herbs, chickpeas, goat cheese and olive oil with quinoa. but somehow all the ingredients are magically blended into a perfect salad. there's so much flavour i can't believe it is only dressed in olive oil and lemon. quinoa is very healthy gluten-free grain full of protein. i highly recommend you try this fresh salad. if you love quinoa, this will be a sensational tasting experience, if you've never tried quinoa, this will be a sensational tasting experience.

i know queen mother is famous for its Ping Gai and we almost ordered the infamous chicken dish, but this time we tried something new, Khao Soy Gai ($13.95). during my previous visits i've seen many people order khao soy gai. the three ladies at the table next to us also ordered it too, so it must be good, right? well... i've never tried anything like it. i can't quite describe how it tastes though. the broth is coconuty curry with hint of minty flavour that also taste a little spicy.

the menu explains khao soy gai as "a traditional northern Laotian dish of chicken simmered in a spicy broth of ginger, fresh Thai herbs, turmeric, curry and coconut milk, served on a bed of soft thin egg noodles, bean sprouts and watercress, garnished with mint, shallots, marinated bok choy and fresh coriander." (phew~)

it's a curious flavour. you won't know what it taste like until you actually try it. sorry i am not much of a help. but best part of trying something new is the unexpected surprise, hopefully the good kind :D i can't say i fell in love with it, but writing about it now makes me want to have more. strange.

while the other girls had wine to drink, i had Amaretto Sour. the lemon juice here is superb. nice clean taste, not too sour not too sweet. i also enjoy queen mother's sangrias (red, white, pink). they have it year-round. because even in winter, i crave some good sangria, don't you?

after second round of drinks, we ordered Goat Cheese and Artichoke Dip ($9.50) to pick at. notice the presentation of the dish is very similar to the crispy calamari. i like that they serve few slices of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. the dip is very very creamy and and thick in texture. the taro chips are amazing. my misconception of taro bubble tea has led me to believe that taro is pastel purple, but they are actually golden-brown. the chips were crispy and addictive. it taste like half sweet potato chips and half potato chips. i want to know where i can get my hands on these taro chips. i will be much sad to find out that they make it in the kitchen (because that means i can't buy it to snack at home.. boo...).

by the end of the taro chips, we were too full to try some desserts. they have a wide selection of made-in-house cakes, pies and mousses next to the bar you can choose from. the staff here are all very friendly and prompt. one staff frequently made runs to make sure our water glasses were full. i should mention that on a friday night, we had to wait about 20 minutes to get a table for four. they do not take reservations which kinda sucks, so if you want to be seated right away, avoid the peak hours.

queen mother cafe is a perfect place for a dinner&movie (scotia bank theatre just a couple blocks away) on a casual date or to enjoy some original food and drink on a girls' night out.


Queen Mother Cafe
208 Queen Street West
416.598.4719
www.queenmothercafe.ca

posted by rin

golden thai

it's mid december and the weather in toronto is still too warm to feel like winter. not that i am complaining, but it does feel strange to have no snow and no icy cold winds to irritate us. to spice up the rather dull winter weather, the three purples went to Golden Thai for some yummy curry.

we were welcomed with warm wooden interiors with exotic antiquesque decorations that shout, 'you are in a thai restaurant!' maybe it is the brown walls or the orientalistic decors. it did feel more like an upscale restaurant than average thai restaurants (salad king perhaps? don't get me wrong, it has good pad thai for what it is and i used to enjoy eating at salad king when i was in school). i was pleasantly surprised to find that despite the fancy presentation, the food pricing was reasonable and affordable. bonus points!!

 

we started off with Pho Pia Sod: Cool Rolls ($6.45). three freshly prepared roll filled with chicken, egg, cucumber, coriander and carrots served with golden thai sauce. i am more of a vietnamese summer roll kinda gal and the chunky cucumber in the middle was not doing it for me. i really really liked the golden thai sauce though. it was tangy and sweet.

please excuse the blurriness of the photos. we were seated at the back of the restaurant where there were no lights besides the little candlelight on the table. anyways. the Lychee & Mango Salad ($8.95) was sweet and sour. it was made with fresh lettuce, red bell pepper, purple onions, carrots topped with slices of mango and few lychee on top. the mango could have been little more ripe though. the sesame lime vinaigrette was well blended with the vegetables. the salad was an excellent balance to the curry because the curry was bit spicier than we had expected. if you think you will be eating curry or other full flavoured meal, the lychee & mango salad would be a great side for your tastebud.

prior to going to a restaurant, i always do a little bit of review research. many of reviewers (at yelp) have commented how excellent the green curry is and i just had to try it out. the Green Chicken Curry ($11.95) was good. to tell you the truth, this was my first thai curry experience. i am not a huge fan of coconut and i always opted out for pad thai or thai fried rice whenever i go to thai restaurants. now i regret not trying the curry sooner. the server did warn me that it can be a little spicy and it was bit spicier than i had expected. if you cannot take spicy food well, you may want to choose milder alternatives. the dish did not come with rice and i ordered a side of steamed rice ($2.25) which made the experience much more enjoyable. the chicken breast did not feel dry and it came with plenty of thick curry. i suggest you mix the rice and the curry together (who doesn't?) for a splendid tasting experience. mmmm.

last, but not least, we were going to try the pad thai but the server suggested Thai Spicy Noodles ($11.95) with beef instead. the rice noodles were well cooked, soft and chewy as it should be, and the beef was very tender and full of flavour. this too, was bit spicy. the menu has * next to the name of the dish to indicate how spicy it is. we were trying to figure out what the asterisk meant for the longest time (there were no indications). the green curry had two *s and the thai spicy noodles and lychee & mango salad had one each.

the only downside of this place was perhaps too many options to choose from the menu? not that it is a bad thing, but when you are hungry, reading a list of food that extends to about a hundred can be overwhelming. golden thai offers dinner suggestions (prix fixe) which seem like a good deal if you are on a date. i suggest you make a reservation to be safe, because it was quite packed on a tuesday night.



Golden Thai
105 Church Street (at Richmond St E.)
416.868.6668
www.goldenthai.ca

posted by rin

food quote 2

the rex

to celebrate december, the three purples went to the Rex for some smooth jazz and burger. you can seat yourself wherever you like (it will be difficult to find a table on busy nights). the general atmosphere was casual and comfortable but the seats were not. the arrangement of tables and the stage felt a bit awkward with terrible sight lines to the stage if you are not sitting directly in front of the stage. we sat in one of the booths. the view was not too bad and we were distant enough that we didn't have to shout to talk to one another. but then again, one of the reasons for going to places like the rex is to enjoy the live music, which they have all year around.excellent!

the general crowd on a thursday evening was averaged at mid to late 30s (if not 40s) with few older couples. cute. i suddenly had the thought that this is one of the places i can visit at any time at any age. my ears are not accustomed to jazz just yet, though occasional jazz here and there is pleasing. i am developing a strong taste for the deep sound of the contrabass. alex goodman quintet had nailed that. it soothes me. and of course cold beer had heightened the effect after a long day of work.

the menu is comprised of simple pub-grub with basic soup&salad, sandwiches, chicken wings (or jazz fingers) and burgers. the food is reasonably priced and so were the beer. they had okay selection of beer on tab and we ordered a pint of richards red each.

since we heard good things about the burgers here, ros and mimi ordered King Burgers ($8.75). it was served on a lightly toasted focaccia bun with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles. the burger was overwhelming to bite down (unless you got hippo-sized mouth) as it was quite big. the bun kept sliding off the lettuce. the patty was thick and well seasoned. you can add sautéed mushrooms, bacon or cheese at extra cost. this truly felt like a traditional burger.

i ordered the daily special, Chicken Caesar Wrap ($8.25). the portion was generous and the chicken was very crispy. the sauce was just the right amount as some caesar wraps can have too much which will just make the pita soggy and overpower the flavour. i wished though it had more romains. i was surprised to find croûtons stuck in there too (i guess it makes it real chicken caesar salad in a wrap). both dishes came with plenty of fries. they were not greasy nor crispy. they were more like elongated homefries but thick. the fries can be substituted for sweet potato fries, onion rings or side salad at extra cost.

overall, the place was giving off a good vibe and the wait staff were very friendly and quick. there are no covers for the 6:30 shows but you should be expected to pay cover for 9:30 shows, especially on the weekends (price varies on the show). the rex is one of its kind for playing jazz all year around and provide a great venue for local and international jazz artists. going to the rex definitely made me appreciate jazz (or just good music) and tempted me to bring out my jazz fingers. if you are in a mood to chat, skip this place but if you want to entertain your ears with some good live music, the rex is the place to be.


the Rex Hotel Jazz & Blues Bar
194 Queen Street West (at the corner of st. patrick)
416.598.2475
www.therex.ca

posted by rin

everything alfredo pasta

i like making pasta. it is easy, quick and never fails. but i like my pasta with everything i like or anything i can find. here is not-so-secret recipe for my everything alfredo pasta.

ingredients
chopped garlic
sweet onion
roma tomato
broccoli
white mushrooms
shrimps
carrots ( i used baby carrots)
alfredo sauce (i used classico)
olive oil
black pepper
rotini

boil water and add rotinis. cook al dente. drain the water.
1. thoroughly wash the vegetables. chop onions, carrots, tomatoes to a small size. cut broccoli and white mushrooms to sizes you desire.
2. spread olive oil on a pan. add chopped garlic and cook until brown. add chopped onions, carrots and cook until the carrot is cooked.
3. add tomato, mushrooms, broccoli and shrimp. stir it until shrimp is cooked (i used cooked shrimp). if you are using raw shrimp it is best if you parboil but if not, add bit of white wine or lemon juice to get rid of the fishy smell.
4. add the alfredo sauce. or any type of sauce you like. i got lazy and took a shortcut by using classico alfredo sauce. which in my opinion still taste good!
5. add the cooked pasta into the pan, mix well with the sauce. this way, the sauce is well blended in with the noodles. place it in a pasta dish and sprinkle some black pepper on top. voila!

tip: i tend to eat my meals with less or no salt. if you like yours bit salty or with more flavour, add the salt when you are cooking your vegetables (stage 3).

happy december everyone! 31 days left of 2011.hope you make best of it :D

posted by rin

food quote 1

[nyc] cho dang gol

last day in new york, the three of us went to cho dang gol which was recommended by the staff at gahm mi oak the day before. it was lunch time and the place was packed with people. we had to wait for 10 minutes or so to get a seat and another 20 minutes to get our food. the staff were kind but very busy with a large group. the wooden columns and paper lanterns added orientalist touch to the interior which could be typical in korean restaurants that emphasize tradition.

this weird looking goo is actually warm silken tofu. it was lightly seasoned with salt. an excellent amouz-bouche. i love tofu, especially freshly made, and cho dang gol scored bonus points for making their tofu on site.

we ordered dduk kalbi meal ($18.95) and soy sauce cured blue crabs ($19.95). they both came with a soup of choice, which we ordered doenjang jjigae (soy bean paste stew) and kimchi biji jjigae (kimchi and soy bean stew).

the dduk kalbi is mixture of beef and pork grilled (well-done) on charcoal. it was very chunky and juicy. just the right amount of fat from pork to make it super soft and chewy. i could just eat this all day. total sublime! it is savoury for sure and has a bit of sweetness to it. for korean food virgins, if you want to opt out for something safe, this is your bet!

now, for those who are more adventurous, this is the food to try, soy sauce cured blue crabs. the crab was very fresh, you can still see the blue and red colours. the marinade was well absorbed to get rid of the fishiness. it is tricky eating crabs though. so make sure you are not having this on first few dates. it can get messy. i find the trick to getting all the meat out of the legs is to cut off the joints and stick a chopstick in and out to squeeze all the meat out. it is definitely effort required meal. another way to enjoy it is mixing bit of rice and the sauce right onto the crab shell. as i write this review, i can't help myself but to drool... want some more.... right... now!!

as most korean restaurants are, cho dang gol was very generous with banchan. the grilled tofu was delicious (a true tofu haven), kimchi was better at gahm mi oak and other dishes were enjoyable. the two soups we had were also very tasty. though we ordered only two dishes, we were so full and could not even finish the soups. there is a freshly made korean tofu restaurant in etobicoke, chodang soontofu (near dundas w and kipling). i love their soon tofu stew.

the term chodang tofu originated from gangneung city in korea. it uses 35% less salt and uses natural bedrock water specific to the region to make unique tasting soft tofu. of course, outside of the region, making tofu with bedrock water would be difficult, but having the name 'chodang' will mean they really care about making their tofu the traditional way.


초당골
cho dang gol
55 West 35th Street
New York, NY 10001-2219
www.chodanggolny.com

posted by rin

[nyc] gahm mi oak

for first breakfast (brunch, rather) in new york, we went to gahm mi oak as mimi recommended. it specializes in sul-lung-tang, an ox bone broth soup, excellent to relieve your hangover. i loved the design of the table (sorry i couldn't snap photo of this beautiful table) which looked like a giant tree cut in half.

many korean restaurants have plenty banchan but sul-lung-tang places often only serve kimchi. it is because sul-lung-tang is best enjoyed with really good kimchi, especially radish kimchi, kkakdugi. so it is safe to say that famous sul-lung-tang restaurants also have the best kimchi. at gahm mi oak, we got a little more than kimchi (which the wait staff kindly cut them up to edible sizes for us), some hot pepper, cabbage leaves and ssamjang. ssamjang is a spicy paste mixed with soy bean paste, pepper paste and other various ingredients. the ssamjang here was amazing! i am lacking adjectives to describe this paste. arg! i wanted to steal the recipe. you are welcomed to have the ssamjang as dipping sauce for vegetables or bbq meat.

we ordered one sul-lung-tang ($12.95/ea) each and one soondae ($18.95) to share. soondae is korean style blood sausage. soondae was packed with yummy stuffing and lots of vegetable. soondae is one of my favourite street korean food along with ddukboki. it is one of those food i wish i could make it home to enjoy more but i can't.

sul-lung-tang often requires you to add bit of salt to taste, but i didn't have to add any. not that it was already seasoned, but the broth was very rich in flavour that i didn't want to spoil it with salt. sul-lung-tang can be found in many korean restaurants, but those who do not specialize in it, sometimes add milk or cream to get the milky colour and texture. but authentically, the broth should be prepared by boiling the bones over a long period of time until it turns milky on its own. the dish came out with rice and vermicelli already in the bowl, which saved me hassle of dumping the rice and splashing the soup everywhere (or maybe i am just so clumsy). we were so hungry and devoured the entire thing, left feeling very very satisfied. it was a sensational eating experience ;D


감미옥
Gahm Mi Oak
43 West 32nd Street
New York, NY 10001
view menu here

posted by rin

[nyc] izakaya moku

first night in new york, we anticipated going to sake bar hagi (152 W 49th St) but the long line up led us to an alternate izakaya in koreatown, izakaya moku. this picture is taken from the food court across from moku, as you can see their sign out the window.

the space was decorated with japanese themed furniture and fixtures. there were four wooden booth seatings which were cozy but the round couch seating did not fit in with the rest of the decoration. the lighting was very dim and they were playing house/clubbing music which did not really go with the overall atmosphere. as the night progressed, so did the music. we had to talk loudly which is how it is at most izakayas anyways. the only downside of this place was lack of bathroom stalls. there's only one. it was nice that you don't have to go down to a dark and sketchy basement to use the washroom like in toronto, but only one stall? it can get very frustrating. you can view the interior photos at moku's website.

we ordered soy pork ($19.99) and budae tang ($18.99). soy pork is cooked soy pork with scallion & onions topped with ponzu sauce and budae tang is spicy soup with sausage, vegetable, bean, minced pork, kimchi & cheese. the soy pork was unbelievably delicious. a perfect harmony of the ponzu sauce and the well cooked (not so fatty) pork belly. i wanted to know the secret behind the sauce recipe and make it at home. the budae tang was good. spicy and tasty broth with lot of toppings but nothing special. it was served on an alcohol burner to keep the soup warm.

we also had few bottles of bokbunja. it's a korean raspberry wine similar to refined and aged cabernet sauvignon with a hint of dry aftertaste. it is on a sweeter note but that's because it has very aromatic taste (not so much the scent). we love bokbunja. it's sophisticated, has the right amount of sweet and dryness and leaves almost no hangover the next day (of course if you drink too much you will be hung over, but the three of us did not suffer from headaches as some wines cheap wines tend to do that).

if i am ever in new york again, i will go to moku for some soy pork for sure. if you like their facebook page and leave a review then print out the page, you can get a so-chu drink or a dish of your choice free.


izakaya moku
10W. 32nd St, 2nd Fl.
New York, NY 10001
www.izakayamoku.com

posted by rin